The invention relates to a transport device essentially having the form of a cable drum on which an energy guiding chain is wound up fitted with cables or other lines, with a preferably cylindrical central core essentially mounted about a rotational axis of the transport device and with end elements located on the face ends of the central core and extending radially from it.
Such transport device is for example well known from EP 0 699 616.
The chains to be transported can already be completely equipped with cables, plugs, end mounts and strain relievers, so that they need only be connected. Energy guiding chains of this kind can be extremely long, very heavy and thus difficult to handle. In particular, depositing a long chain in a guide trough on the floor or on a crane jib at a height of about 10 to 20 m can only be achieved with great difficulty when it comes to large energy guiding chains with a width of 10 to 30 cm, as a chain of this kind can be up to 100 m long.
The object of the invention is to simplify the handling and transport of energy guiding chains.
According to the invention, the object is solved in that means are provided for dividing the space between the end elements into at least a first section in which the cables protruding from an end of the energy guiding chain (2) are wound up, and a second section in which the energy guiding chain as such (28, 31) is wound up.
The central core is preferably designed as a cylindrical hollow body, in order to ensure easy winding and substantially prevent the occurrence of a polygon effect. The system chain can be wound up in the space between the two end elements by rotating the central core. The space between the end elements can be wide or narrow, as required. For example, the inside width of the drum can roughly correspond to the chain width, thus resulting in radial winding, but also in a drum with small longitudinal dimensions. This version is referred to as the radial configuration. Alternatively, the inside width of the drum can be many times greater than the width of the chain. In this design, the chain can be wound in one layer or several layers. Compared to the first configuration, this results in a wider drum which, however, has small radial dimensions. This second version is referred to below as the axial configuration.
The scope of the invention also encompasses the fact that the end elements are mounted on the central core in adjustable fashion, in order to be able to use the transport device to meet the needs of chain systems and chains of different widths.
The central core need not necessarily be a closed body, but can also consist of several adjacent bars or webs.
The end elements are preferably designed as circular end disks, as this enables particularly simple unwinding of the chain systems from the transport device. The transport device can then simply be rolled in order to wind or unwind the system chain. In order to improve handling of the transport device, handles are provided on the outside of the mounted end disks to help users wind and unwind the transport device.
It often happens that system chains of this kind have cables protruding from the ends of the actual energy guiding chain. These cables must also be wound up on the transport device. In this context, it must be ensured, particularly when starting to wind, that no sharp transitions form that could lead to kinking of the protruding cables and thus damage them. For this reason, dividers are arranged in the space between the end elements or end disks. These dividers ensure that the energy guiding chain and the ends can be wound up in defined areas formed by the dividers.
There are essentially two different types of division. In the axial configuration, division is achieved by circular divider disks, between which connecting struts are mounted. The divider disks and struts extend radially away from the central core, in order to divide the space provided between the end disks into disk-shaped sections (as seen from the side), in which the cables and the energy guiding chain can be wound up in a defined manner.
As an alternative to the divider disks, struts mounted on the central core can be provided, which extend radially away from the central core. Connecting struts are then fitted between these struts and/or the end disks and are preferably co-linear to the rotational axis of the transport device when mounted. Energy guiding chains or cables can be wound up on these connecting struts. The connecting struts are mounted on the radial struts in adjustable fashion, in order to allow the transport device to be adapted to different applications.
In the radial configuration, the energy guiding chain or the cable is first wound up on the central core. In order to form a second section, connecting struts or connecting elements are inserted between the radial struts that are again essentially co-linear to the rotational axis of the transport device. The energy guiding chain is then further wound on the connecting struts. In the radial configuration, sections spaced apart from one another in the radial direction are thus formed when winding up the energy guiding chain by inserting the connecting struts. Additional, radially spaced sections can be created as needed by inserting additional connecting struts.
In order to ensure accurate fixing of the energy guiding chain and prevent damage to the end mounting elements, it is advantageous to provide a fastening device on the transport device for the energy guiding chain or the end mounting element. As a rule, this fastening device is mounted on the central core or on the end elements.
The transport device can be provided with a shaft running coaxially to the rotational axis through the central core. The shaft can be designed to be permanent or removable. For transport, the transport device can be lifted by the ends of the shaft protruding from the sides of the transport device. This is achieved, for example, by chains which run around the shaft and can be lifted by a crane. In order to prevent the transport device from rotating during lifting, brakes that can be applied to the shaft are provided between the chains or the rope.
The shaft need not be of continuous design. It is also possible to mount cylindrical bars made of solid material on the outside of the end disks. In addition to the actual transport device, a fixing device for preventing the rotation of the transport device described above is also proposed in accordance with the invention. This fixing device is provided with a base, which can be set on a substructure and has beams with arc-shaped recesses suitable for accommodating the end disks. The radius of the arc-shaped recesses essentially corresponds to the radius of the end disks, so that the transport device is prevented from rolling away by the fixing device. Instead of the beams with arc-shaped recesses, simple wedges can also be inserted between the end disks and the base.
In order to achieve better locking, the fixing device can further be provided with a flange, which is bolted to the transport device.